Page 13

‘No, it’s fine,’ Daisy said, trying to project an inner strength and positivity she didn’t feel. ‘I’m sure she was just nervous about meeting me, too. I mean, she’s bound to be a bit wary of this girl her son moved back around the country for. Especially when they’ve never even met me.’

‘Exactly,’ Theo said, relief washing over his face. ‘I’m sure when we tell them about the engagement, they’ll be over the moon, just you wait and see.’

Excitement returned to Theo’s face and with it, a sense of optimism in Daisy. It had been a rough introduction, that was all. And it wasn’t like she and Theo had had the best first meeting. Yes, the more she thought about it, the more she decided that the old line about first impressions wasn’t really true at all. Theo’s parents would love her and she would love them, too. She was sure of it.

As she slung her bag over her shoulder and slipped her hand into Theo’s, she looked up at him and frowned.

‘Did they say we are sleeping in the guest bedroom? Is that what they did to your room after you moved out?’ she said. ‘Made it for guests?’

Rather than replying normally, as Daisy had expected Theo to do, he let out a loud scoff.

‘Oh no, the guest wing has always been there. They turned my room into storage for Mum’s dress-making and Dad’s golf clubs.’

17

The inside of the house was every bit the country chic that Daisy had imagined from the outside.

Dark oak flooring in the hallway gave way to a tiled-floor kitchen, where duck-egg blue counter tops were fashioned in a traditional style, with an Aga nestled at one end and a large dining table in the centre. The windows were deep-set and whitewashed, accented with small roller blinds, whilst large troughs filled with herbs sat on the windowsill. It was the type of house Daisy had dreamed of, when she first thought of growing up, getting married and having children. The type of house where you could hear the thunder of feet on the floorboards above you and rattles of laughter as siblings chased one another up and down the staircase and around the copious garden. It was the type of kitchen where she could have imagined propping a little one up on a stool and teaching her to make scones and cakes, the way her mother had done for her. A house filled with laughter and love. That was what it felt like this house should have been, yet at that moment, it felt as if both those aspects were thoroughly missing.

‘I take it the drive was all right?’ Theo’s father asked. Daisy was well aware that they hadn’t yet been introduced, but given that he had made no attempt to speak to her, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to extend any form of greeting. Instead, she lingered behind Theo, like she was some terrified schoolgirl, not a grown businesswoman who was meeting her fiancé’s family.

‘Traffic was good, actually. We left early. Thankfully, Daisy’s used to the early mornings, what with the coffee shop and everything.’

Daisy smiled gratefully at Theo for trying to include her in the conversation, but before she could comment, Penelope was speaking again.

‘Ahh, yes. You’re a waitress, isn’t that right?’

‘No, I’m not,’ Daisy replied tersely, only to see the flicker of satisfaction on Penelope’s lips. Of course she knew Daisy wasn’t a waitress. She was goading her and Daisy had stupidly bitten, but she wasn’t going to let Penelope get the last laugh and so she continued, ‘I have to say, I have great admiration for wait staff, though. I know how difficult some of the people I have to deal with as the owner of the coffee shop can be. And that’s only takeaway. I can’t imagine how tough it must be when you’re stuck serving rude, entitled customers on a table you can’t get away from.’ She locked her eyes on Penelope as she said this last line, making it entirely clear who she was talking about. As Theo’s mother pouted, Daisy smiled as broadly and warmly as she could. ‘But I happen to love my job, running my own business, which is doing incredibly well, actually. I’m very lucky.’

If it was possible to hear someone’s teeth grinding together, Daisy was certain she would have done, as Penelope’s lips twitched and pursed as if she was having to stop herself from snarling. A paused elongated between them, and Daisy was sure she was about to bite back, but instead, Penelope offered her only a beaming smile.

‘Well, then, I’m sure this weekend will be quite the relaxation you need. Now, I’ll put the kettle on. Was it tea or coffee you wanted?’

‘I’ll have?—’

‘Actually, Mum,’ Theo said, cutting across Daisy before she could speak, ‘the drive over was really hot and sweaty. Daisy and I were just saying how we’d like to grab a shower before we have a drink. You don’t mind, do you?’

Penelope’s smile twisted, tightening and contorting as she peered down her nose.

‘Of course not, darling. This is your home. You may do as you wish.’

‘Thank you.’

‘There are spare towels on your bed. Try not to get them too dirty.’

18

Daisy had to bite her tongue. Who made a comment about making towels dirty? And what did Penelope think she and Theo had been doing on the drive over? Stopping to have a mudbath? Still, Daisy had already been far less polite than she would ever normally dreamed possible. What she needed to do was try to make amends.

‘I’m sorry,’ Daisy said the moment they were out of earshot. ‘I know I was rude to her, only she was so condescending. The way she said the wordwaitress.Like waitresses don’t work damn hard.’

Theo nodded as he looked down at Daisy and placed a hand on her cheek.

‘I know. I get it. I understand how difficult she can be, but the thing with my mum is?—’

‘She’s your mum, I get it,’ Daisy said, anticipating what Theo was going to say next. ‘She’s your mum and you love her and I’ll learn to love her too if I just give her a chance. I get it. I do. And I’ll try. I promise.’

Theo paused and pressed his lips together.